By: JP Nicoletta



There is a big question about the Regional meet in St. Louis.  Is it really Regional?

I know it says that but something seems off about it. 

We have LWCs that host local meets and we have USAW National meets that require qualification.  As far as I know we don’t have regions.  Crazy assumption but I figured a Regional meet would be for people FROM A REGION.  Maybe future ones will be but for now the competition to be held in St. Louis the last weekend of April is really just another Pan-Am qualifier. That said…

It’s not a “pop-up” qualifier

 

There are grumblings this contest is another “pop up,” qualifier that caused some irritation for coaches and athletes in 2014.

To address that concern the USAW published a trials calendar for 2015 at the beginning of the year.

In fact, the Regional 1 event was listed in both the Pan-Am Games Selection Procedures document from September, 2014 and the USAW Athlete Handbook & Reference Guide for 2015 International Competitions (updated 2/1/15).

The following events were listed as tryout events:
 

• 2014 American Open Championships / Trials – December

• 2015 National Junior Championships / Trials – February

• 2015 Arnold Championships / Trials – March

• Manual Suarez Tournament – March

• 2015 REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 1 – TBD

Very few people read that stuff and it appears many didn’t buy a Regional meet would come together.  I believe everyone went to the Arnold thinking that was it.

Suspect Timing

On March 2nd, the USAW posted an update which included Regional totals. It said in part:

"To generate alternative qualifying pathways to the National Championships and the American Open, USA Weightlifting will shortly be announcing a regional series. The first event will take place April 30-May 2, 2015 as advised in the 2015 Athlete Handbook for International Competition. Further details of this event will be posted by the end of the week."
 

As promised the details were released that week. The information came out well after the final start list for the Arnold was published and everyone’s travel arrangements to the event were set.  You can argue attendance and intensity at the Arnold would have been different if everyone knew about this Regional sooner.  It would have diluted attendance in Columbus.

It feels shady because no detail in regard to a regional system was published.  They simply announced a Regional meet with low qualification totals and added Pan-Am qualification sessions to the schedule.

Winners and Losers

The losers of this are the lifters sitting above the cut line to make the team.  Vega, Mangold, Vardanian, Lee and Wilkes all have decisions to make.  Do they let their current totals ride or do they go in for another competition they likely hadn’t planned on?

For everyone else on the bubble it’s a redemption shot.  Having already felt a sense of loss they literally have nothing to lose by going all out.  While it won’t have the standing room only crowd or energy that only the Arnold can deliver this Regional event/Pan Am qualifier will be exactly what it should be, a shootout.  There will be some huge days and some bomb outs.

Olympic Considerations

The 2015 Pan-Ams is a games (essentially a regional Olympics) not just a championships. That’s not the only reason the few spots for Toronto are so precious.  Last year the IWF released the qualification system for the 2016 Rio Olympics.  It included a very important requirement for lifters.

In order to be ELIGIBLE for Olympic competition athletes must have competed in at least two qualification events in the previous two years leading into the Rio games.  These events include:

• 2014 Commonwealth Games

• 2014 IWF World Championships

• 2014 Asian Games

• 2014 IWF Grand Prix(s)

• 2015 IWF Junior World Championships

• 2015 Pacific Games

• 2015 Pan-American Games

• 2015 IWF World Championships

• 2015 IWF Grand Prix(s)

• 2016 Continental Qualification Events (tbd)

• 2016 IWF Grand Prix(s)

So regardless of how many spots we ultimately earn for Rio lifters must make two international trips soon to be eligible to fill one.  Right now only Jenny Arthur, Colin Burns and Holley Mangold have done it.  Everyone else who lifted in Almaty at the World’s in 2014 has one.

This obviously means the two women’s and three men’s spots to the Pan-Ams are special. Lifters with one meet in the bank can use the Pan-Ams to lock in eligibility and there are some pretty big names who still need two.

The Grand Prix and Continental events are not set and selection for them is uncertain.  Lifters in need can be considered and will be “given preference,” but if that sounds risky it is. Lifters will be at the mercy of the USAW to select and maybe fund them to go to these events.

The 2015 World’s will determine how many spots we earn for 2016 but our best lifters are now scrambling to earn eligibility. You can question this Regional thing if you want but at the end of the day we as fans are going to get another big weekend of lifting. I’ll be tuned in to watch.

Related:
The 2015 Arnold Weightlifting Championships Coverage 
Vega, Mangold Round Out Women's Pan Am Team 
15.3 The Year Of Muscle Ups